10+ can't-miss Houston business and innovation events for January

Where to be

Here's your one-stop shop for innovation events in Houston in January. Getty Images

Start off the new year — and new decade — strong with tech and innovation events across Houston. From networking and panels to workshops and meetups, here's what Houston startup and tech events to attend in January.

If you know of innovation-focused events for this month or next, email me at natalie@innovationmap.com with the details and subscribe to our daily newsletter that sends fresh stories straight to your inboxes every morning.

January 9 — TransMedia Marketing® A New Paradigm

Phil and Karen Snyder are professors of Digital Media at University of Houston's College of Technology, and are the creators/developers of the University's unique Transmedia Marketing® Online Certificate Program. Reinventing the concepts of multi-platform storytelling, the Snyders apply them to marketing strategies. They share their experiences in their presentation: Transmedia Marketing® A New Paradigm.

Details: The event is from 11 am to 12:30 pm on Thursday, January 9, at The Cannon (1334 Brittmoore Road). Learn more.

January 9 — SBIR 101: A Practical Approach to Engaging with the US Air Force

At this event you will hear from Lt. Col. Eric Frahm, AFWERX chief product officer, and Ryan Erickson, AFWERX head of operations, who will present the details of engagement with the Air Force via the AFWERX SBIR process. Additionally, you will hear from Gustavo Sanchez (Pandata Tech) and Scott Schneider (HTX Labs), two Station Houston member companies that are on current AFWERX SBIR Phase II contracts, who will share their journeys through the SBIR process from customer discovery to securing customer MOUs to navigating bureaucratic hurdles such as non-US citizen employees.

Details: The event is from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, January 9, at Station Houston (1301 Fannin Street, Suite 2440). Learn more.

January 9 — How to be a side hustler

So, how do you make your aspirations of becoming your own boss come to life? Enter the side hustle. Come join General Assembly's lineup of speakers as they delivers a highly tactical tips and tricks on the how (and why) behind starting a successful side hustle while keeping your day job.

Details: The event is from 6:30 to 9 pm on Thursday, January 9, at GA Houston (1301 Fannin St, Floor 21). Learn more.

January 14 — Employable in 2020: Closing the skills gap

What jobs will exist in 2030? Come along and hear from a panel of industry leaders on how to stay relevant in the rapidly changing space for 2030 and beyond.

Details: The event is from 6:30 to 9 pm on Tuesday, January 14, at GA Houston (1301 Fannin St, Floor 21). Learn more.

January 16 — Practice Makes: Inclusion

Inclusion means a better world for all. It's about correcting mismatched human interactions and opening up experiences/products for everyone to participate.

Details: The event is from 6 to 8 pm on Thursday, January 16, at Accenture Houston (1301 Fannin Street). Learn more.

January 22 — Bots and Brews

"Bots & Brews," is the winter meetup of the Energy Drone & Robotics Coalition. It offers insights from energy unmanned experts, and rapid-fire use cases from cutting-edge drone, robotics solutions and startups for the energy, and industrial autonomous challenges of today and tomorrow.

Details: The event is Wednesday, January 22, from 4 to 7pm at Saint Arnold Brewery (2000 Lyons Ave). Learn More

January 23 — JLABS x IGNITE: Girls Just Wanna Have Funds

Join JLABS and IGNITE for an evening of rotating round table discussions as we tackle these questions and aim to forge a path forward for two of the most prohibitive factors at play: a lack of a robust network of female mentors and lack of investment dollars in female-led startups.

Details: The event is from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Thursday, January 23, at JLABS @ TMC (2450 Holcombe Blvd.). Learn more.

January 24 – 11th Annual WISE Luncheon

By celebrating the achievements of women leaders in science, we want to inspire others to pursue research and applications that will spur economic prosperity and improve the quality of life for our region and our state as a whole. WISE is more than just a luncheon. It is a place where everyone can come together to share their ideas, tell their stories and fall in love with math and science all over again.

Details: The event is from 11 am to 1 pm on Friday, January 24, at River Oaks Country Club (1600 River Oaks Blvd.). Learn more.

January 28 — E-Commerce Meetup & Panel Discussion with Kim Roxie

E-commerce is one of the industry's producing tech billionaires, and this panel will discuss the path to get there.

Details: The event is from 5:30 to 7 pm on Tuesday, January 28, at Station Houston (1301 Fannin Street, Suite 2440). Learn more.

January 29 — MassChallenge Texas in Houston 2020 Launch Event

MassChallenge Texas is launching both its Austin and Houston programs simultaneously. It's a good networking opportunity and a chance to learn more about this year's cohort.

Details: The event is from 5:30 to 7:30 pm on Wednesday, January 29, at the Four Seasons Hotel (1300 Lamar St.). Learn more.

January 30 — Digital Storytelling for Your Startup: Deconstructing Digital and Social Media

Savvy digital storytelling is a powerful tool in your entrepreneurial toolbox. JLABS has tapped into The Black Sheep Agency for this workshop, where we'll break down digital strategy, tools, tips and tricks that will set you up for success both online and offline.

Details: The event is from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm on Thursday, January 30, at JLABS @ TMC (2450 Holcombe Blvd.). Learn more.

January 30 — Intro to the Houston Startup Community

This free event is an orientation to help newcomers to the startup scene get acquainted with the exciting world of tech in Houston. A panel of professionals will give you the inside scoop on Houston's key events and meetups, people, companies, VCs, blogs, programs, and more.

Details: The event is from 6:30 to 9 pm on Thursday, January 30, at GA Houston (1301 Fannin St, Floor 21). Learn more.

January 31 — Innovate Integrate Inspire

The Society of Petroleum Engineers' Gulf Coast Section is hosting its WIN Congress 2020. Expect to come away with invaluable gems and insights as an eclectic mix of oil and gas professionals talk about their challenges, opportunities, and give their best advice on how to reach the success you want.

Details: The event is from 7 am to 5 pm on Friday, January 31, at Hilton Garden Inn NW American Plaza (14919 Northwest Fwy). Learn more.

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New TMC partnership aims to grow Houston’s biomanufacturing workforce

workforce partnership

Houston is a frontrunner in the race to introduce and manufacture advanced therapeutics to the medical world. A new agreement between the Texas Medical Center (TMC) and San Jacinto College (SJC) aims to speed more experts and their technologies towards the finish line.

Earlier this month, the world's largest medical center and the nation’s second-ranked community college announced their new partnership that will set students on a path towards careers not only in life sciences in general, but also in pharmaceutical and biomanufacturing specifically.

SJC already has programs in those majors—its first graduates are now joining the workforce—but working with TMC will help the college recruit new students, as well as aid in enrollment and participation. Thanks to this collaboration, SJC students will benefit from more experiential learning and be able to transition more smoothly into the next steps in their training.

“Houston is a premier global hub for life sciences and biotechnology, and the talent we need to advance therapeutic drugs, diagnostics, and cell and gene therapy is already here,” William McKeon, the TMC’s president and CEO, said in a news release. “With more companies choosing to establish their headquarters in Houston and the daily breakthroughs happening across the TMC campus, partnering with San Jacinto College is an important step toward sustaining that momentum and unlocking even greater innovation and growth through the promising talent that already exists within our state.”

The partnership is currently slated to last two years, but the institutions have the option to extend after that.

For students, their journey to becoming scientists will likely start with Biopath @ TMC, a program that introduces high school students to biomanufacturing careers and what it takes to pursue one. Since its inception two years ago, the program has worked with more than 2,000 students around Harris County.

“This partnership exemplifies San Jacinto College’s ability to design and deliver programs that align with current workforce demands while opening doors for untapped talent across the Houston region,” Brenda Hellyer, SJC chancellor, said in the release. “TMC is a key industry leader in our region, and San Jacinto College has a unique global curriculum that provides the foundation and skills required for students to succeed and graduates to thrive in meaningful careers that will contribute to the innovation and advancement of the life sciences.”

Thanks to this new collaboration, more of Houston’s biomanufacturing workforce will soon be locally grown.

Houston legacy planning platform secures $2.5M investment, adds to board

fresh funding

Houston-based Paige, a comprehensive life planning and succession software company, has secured a $2.5 million investment to expand the AI-driven tools on its platform.

The funding comes from Alabama-based 22nd State Banking Company, according to a news release. Paige says it will use the funding to expand automation, AI-driven onboarding and self-service tools, as well as add to its sales and customer success teams.

The company was originally founded by CEO Emily Cisek in 2020 as The Postage and rebranded to Paige last year. It helps users navigate and organize end-of-life planning with features like document storage and organization, password management, and funeral and last wishes planning.

“Too many families are left trying to piece together important information during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” Cisek said in the news release. “This investment allows us to accelerate the next phase of growth for Paige by improving the product and expanding support for our members, our financial institution partners and the communities they serve,”

In addition to the funding news, the company also announced that 22nd State Banking CEO and President Steve Smith will join Paige's board of directors.

“We believe banking should be grounded in relationships and built around the real needs of the people and communities we serve. Paige brings something deeply relevant to that mission," Smith added in the release. "It helps families prepare for the future in a practical and meaningful way, and it gives the banking community new pathways to support customers through important life transitions.”

Paige estimates that $124 trillion in assets will change hands through 2048. Yet about 56 percent of Americans do not have an estate plan.

Read more on the topic from Cisek in a recent op-ed here; or listen to InnovationMap's 2021 interview with her here.

Houston digital health platform Koda lands strategic investment

money moves

Houston-based advance care planning platform Koda Health has added another investor to the lineup.

The company secured a strategic investment for an undisclosed amount from UPMC Enterprises, the commercialization arm of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The funding is part of Koda's oversubscribed series A funding round that closed in October, according to a release.

"UPMC Enterprises’ investment is a meaningful signal, not just to Koda, but to the broader market," Dr. Desh Mohan, chief medical officer and co-founder of Koda Health, said in the news release. "It validates that health systems are ready to invest in infrastructure that makes advance care planning work the way it should: proactively, at scale, and with the human support that these conversations require. Having UPMC Enterprises as a strategic investor puts us in a unique position to prove what's possible."

Koda has raised $14 million to date, according to a representative from the company. Its series A round was led by Evidenced, with participation from Mudita Venture Partners, Techstars and the Texas Medical Center last year. At the time, the company said the funding would allow it to scale operations and expand engineering, clinical strategy and customer success. The company described the round as a "pivotal moment," as it had secured investments from influential leaders in the healthcare and venture capital space.

Koda Health, which was born out of the TMC's Biodesign Fellowship in 2020, saw major growth last year, as well, and now supports more than 1 million patients nationwide through partnerships with Cigna Healthcare, Privia Health, Guidehealth, Sentara, UPMC and Memorial Hermann Health System.

The company integrated its end-of-life care planning platform with Dallas-based Guidehealth in April 2025 and with Epic Systems in July 2025. It also won the 2025 Houston Innovation Award in the Health Tech Business category. Read more here.

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